Now, you wouldn’t expect a band named Valley of the Sun, the nickname of Phoenix, Arizona, to hail from Cincinnati—a city known colloquially as Dirty Cincy. And yet, it’s an apt moniker for this outfit, a desert-rock trio that captured the attention of Swedish stoner greats Truckfighters, who subsequently signed them to their label. And hey, I’ve heard Sweden gets a lot colder in winter than Cincinnati…
This record starts off with some straight-up southern blues, “Worn Teeth” clearly the result of drinking Dixie whiskey. But halfway through it launches into some heavy grooves that display that deft Swedish desert touch. “As Earth and Moon” continues along the same path, an upbeat, rollicking romp that recalls recent Orange Goblin (from sunny London, England, might I add). “Maya” offers slightly lighter fare, with a very melodic verse, but loses none of its fuzz as it hits its chorus. There are certainly shades of Soundgarden on tunes like “Within the Glare,” while “The Message is Get Down” comes in loud, clear and heavy.
Suffice to say, you can still rock hard in a cold place.
